[IIousK  Bri.L    No.  6.] 

HOUSE  OF  llEPHESENTATIVES,  April  4,  1863— Read  first 
and  second  times,  referred  to  the  Committee  on  the  Medical  Depart- 
ment, and  ordered  to  be  })rinted. 

[By  Mr.  Farrow] 


^   BILL 

To  regulate  Furlough.s  and  Discharges  to  Soldiers  in  Hospitals. 

1  Section   1.    The  Congress  of  the  Cmifedcra'c  States  of  America  do 

2  enact,  Th:it   in   cities,  towns  or  neighborhoods  where   there   are 

3  three  or  more  hospitals,  any  three  surgeons  in   charge  of  lios- 

4  pitals  or  divisions  in  hospital?  as  hereinafter  provided,  shall  con- 

5  stitutc  a  board  of  examiners  for  the  ho^ipitals  to  which  they  may 

6  belong,  -whoee  duty  it  shall  be  tvricc  in  each  week  to  visit  said 

7  hospitals,  and  as  a   board,  examine  all   applicants   for  furloughs 

8  and  discharges. 

1  Sec.  2.   In  all  cases  where  said  board    shall  find   an  applicant 

2  for  furlough  unfit  fur  duty,  and  likely  so  to  remain  for  thirty  days 

3  or  longer,  they  shall  grant  him  a  furlough  for  such  a  period  not 

4  exceeding  sixty  days. 

1  Sec.  3.  Said  hoard  shall  detail,  from  among  those  in  the  hos- 


2  pitals,  a  clerk,  whose  duty  it  shall  be,  without  extra  corapensa- 

3  tion,  to  keep  a  correct  account,  in  vrriting,  of  the  proceedings  of 

4  said  board,  issue  all  furloughs,  specifying  therein  the  period  for 

5  which  it  is  granted,  the  residence  of  the  soldier  and  his  company, 

6  regiment  and  brigade,  and  immediately  send  a  duplicate  thereof 

7  to  the  Adjutant  and  Inspector  General's  office. 

1  Sec.  4.   Such  furlough  shall  entitle  the  soldier  to  transporta- 

2  tion,  which  transportation  ticket,  together  with  the  furlough,  shall 

3  entitle   the   soldier   to   go    and    return    free   of  all  demand  for 

4  passports. 

1  Sec.  o.  The  board  aforesaid   shall  be   empowered  to  grant  a 

2  discharge    for    sufficient    cause    of    physical    disability    which 

3  discharge    shall    entitle    the    party   to    transportation    to    his 

4  home   or  place   of  enlistment,   and  whicli   transportation  ticket, 

5  together  with  the  discharge,  shall  entitle  the  party  to  go  to  his 

6  home  or  place  of  enlistment,  free  of  all  demand  from  passports, 

1  Sec.  6.  In  cities,  towns  or  neighborhoods  where  there  are  but 

2  two  hospitals,  the  two  surgeons  in  charge  except  as  hereinafter 

3  provided  shall  constitute  th?  board  aforesaid;  and  in  cities,  towns 

4  and  neighborhoods  where  there  is  but  one  hospital,  the  surgeon 

5  in  charge  may  grant  furloughs  and  discharges  as  aforesaid. 

1  Sec.  7.  In   cities,  towns   and  neighborhoods  v.'here    there   are 

2  more  than  three  hospitals,  tliose  three  hospitals  whose  surgeons 

3  in  charge  shall  be  asfjociated  together  as  a  board  of  examiners, 


4  shall  be  designated  by  the  Medical  Director  of  the  department, 

5  subject  to  the  approval  of  the  Surgeon  General. 

1  Sec.  S.  In  cities,  towns  or  neighborhoods  where  there  shall  be 

2  more  than  three  hospitals,  those  remaining  after  the  organization 

3  of  the  first  bourd  shall   be   arranged  hj  the  medical  director  of 

4  the  department,  subject  to  the  approval  of  the  Surgeon  General, 

5  in  accordance  with  the  principles  hereinbefore  expressed. 

1  Sec.  0.   If  any  surgeon  in   charge  designated  to  constitute  a 

2  member  of  any   one   of  the  boards  aforesaid,  shall  find  that,  by    • 

3  reason  of  his  duties  ^s  a  surgeon  in  charge,  he  is  unable  to  dis- 

4  charge  tlie  duties  of  a  member  of  said  board,  he  shall  designate 
.5  some  one  of  the  surgeons  in  charge  of  a  division  in  his  liospital 

G  to  supply  his  place  cither  permanently  or  temporarily. 

1  Sec  10.    In  the   examinations  hereinbefore  directed,  either  for 

2  furlough  or  discharge,  every  applicant  shall  be  entitled  to,  and 

3  shall  rc'jcivo  a  personal  examinalion  by  the  board,  and  said  board 

4  are  prohibited  from  requiring,  as  a  condition  of  their  examiua- 
o  tion,  a  rccoinincuili- ion  from  any  surgeon  or  assistant  surgeon  or 

6  acting  assistant  furfreon. 


